Qahira (Cairo Prince) became the 18th winner for her red-hot freshman sire (by Pioneerof the Nile) and 16th ‘TDN Rising Star’ unleashed by Hall of Famer Bob Baffert this year as she cruised to an easy eight-length debut victory at Del Mar Sunday evening. A $130,000 FTKOCT yearling purchase turned $375,000 OBS June 2-year-old after a bullet quarter-mile breeze in :20 2/5, the May 29 foal was off at 13-10 and ran to the money. Sitting perched just off the speed and out in the clear through splits of :22.65 and :46.25, she took over while well within herself and cruised in the lane to run up the score to by 4 3/4 lengths in 1:10.59. Slewgoodtobetrue (Jimmy Creed), second in her unveiling at Santa Anita last month, was best of the rest and 5 3/4 lengths clear of the third finisher.

Qahira is the second ‘Rising Star’ for Cairo Prince in as many days–Mihos earned that distinction for an Aqueduct score Saturday. She is a half-sister to Stormin’ Lyon (Storm Boot), SW, $176,858; and stakes winner Quick Flip (Speightstown) and is her dam’s last registered produce. Her female family includes the likes of GISW Mitterand (Hold Your Peace) and that one’s graded stakes-winning son and sire French Deputy (Deputy Minister). French Deputy is the broodmare sire of Sunday’s GIII Cecil B. DeMille S. winner Flying Scotsman (English Channel).